Transformative project to create water reservoir at Havant Thicket is visited by environment secretary

He paid a visit to the site on Wednesday, March 12 to highlight its importance in the government’s plans to address future water shortages, underpinned by a record £7.9 billion investment by creating a supply of water which will help to reduce the reliance on drawing water from the county’s chalk streams.

As previously reported by The News, Portsmouth Water is constructing the reservoir in partnership with Southern Water which is funding the project, allowing a water sharing scheme between the two which will ensure a better supply in both Hampshire and Sussex.

By 2030, South East England is projected to face severe water stress unless urgent action is taken and the under construction reservoir is the first to be built in the region since the 1970s which will store 8.7 billion litres of water and supply 21 million litres of water a day.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “The UK faces a water shortage because we haven't built a new reservoir in over 30 years – Havant Thicket is a crucial step in securing water for future generations.

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“Investment in vital infrastructure like reservoirs is crucial for economic growth and environmental protection – a cornerstone of our Plan for Change.”

The Environment Secretary’s visit to Havant Thicket is the latest in a series of visits that he and Water Minister Emma Hardy are making on a ‘Things Can Only Get Cleaner’ tour this week, to see where investment in water infrastructure will underpin the building of new homes, create jobs, and turbocharge local economies.

The government is also advancing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to speed up key projects, while the Water (Special Measures) Act and Independent Water Commission aim to hold the water sector accountable and sustainable. This includes measures which will ban bonuses for water executives whose water company’s pollute.